Sporting Park will host Kansas State University's 2015 Purple/White Spring Game at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, April 25, the school announced on Thursday. In addition to the football game, the day will be filled with numerous activities for fans and families of all ages including pre-game hospitality opportunities, interactive games for children, autographs and appearances from Willie Wildcat, K-State cheerleaders and also the Pride of Wildcat Land Marching Band.
“When we first discussed the potential of moving our spring game away from Bill Snyder Family Stadium due to safety concerns, the first place that came to mind was Kansas City and Sporting Park,” Athletics Director John Currie said. “It will present a great opportunity for us to bring Kansas State University to the KC area, and we look forward to having a packed house on April 25 and have our fans Paint Kansas City Purple.”
The annual spring game will be held at Sporting Park due to construction of the new Vanier Football Complex on the Kansas State University campus. In order to move the contest to an outside venue and be permitted to host prospective student-athletes, the school's athletics department received a one-time waiver from the NCAA.
“We are excited about the opportunity to host a spring reunion of the Wildcat family in the greater Kansas City metro region,” said K-State President Kirk Schulz. “We’ll be rolling out the purple welcome mat for our many alumni, fans and friends. This is a great chance to showcase the university in one of the most dynamic and exciting districts in the region.”
Tickets for the game, which go on sale to Ahearn Fund members February 23 and to the general public on March 2, range from $5 to $175 with multiple seating locations and options available. Seats in the South Stand and Members Stand can be purchased for $10 ($5 for K-State students or groups of 20 or more), while East and West Stand options are available for $15 and $25 each, as well as a 4-pack ticket option for just $50. Shield Club tickets are $50 each and provide access to the connecting lounge with a la carte premium food and beverage options, while Field Club seats range from $150-$175 and provide pre-game club access including complimentary food and beverage service throughout the game.
Parking lots will open at 12 p.m. CT and tailgating is permitted. For complete ticket information on the spring game, visit
www.k-statesports.com
or call 800-221-CATS.
“It will be a great experience for our team to go play in a first-class venue like Sporting Park,” said offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. “We have the best fans in the country, and I know I speak for the entire team when I say we are looking forward to a stadium packed full of purple on April 25.”
Kansas State's football team is led by head coach Bill Snyder, recently named to the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2015. The Wildcats finished the 2014 season with a 9-4 record, including a 7-2 mark in Big 12 play to finish third in the league. K-State concluded the season ranked 18th in both the Amway Coaches' and Associated Press polls, finishing in the top 20 for the 13th time in school history and third time in the last four years.
Sporting Park hosted the 2014 NCAA Division II Football Championship in December, the first of four straight years in which the game will be played at the state-of-the-art venue. In addition to Sporting Kansas City home matches, Sporting Park will also welcome NWSL champions FC Kansas City (April 12), the U.S. Men's National Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup (July 13) and the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer College Cup (Dec. 11-13) in 2015.
